Leafpool's Journey
by Lionblaze03
Summary: When Leafpool is seprerated from Thunderclan, she must find a way to make it home.


Leafpool's Journey

Prolouge

Leafpool suddenly felt something hit the side of her pelt. She tried to run, but she suddenly felt sluggish. _What's wrong with me?,_ She thought.

She began racing across the open land of trees as her vision blurred and she stumbled to her side. Her legs suddenly gave way and she collapsed onto the ground. Her vision swan and her head pounded. Leafpool tried her best, but she could not seem to grip the realms of consciousness as darkness crowded her vision. She felt her eyes close halfway as darkness blurred her vision and she spun into unconsciousness.

Leafpool opened her eyes as a sudden jolt of energy bolted through her. She looked down at her paws. They were just specs of light, a faint outline of her former self. Stars dotted her paws and glowing speckles were left where she drew her paws back.

 _Am I dead?_ She thought. _How?! What have I done wrong? I'm sorry!_

Suddenly, Leafpool caught sight of Yellowfang, Cinderpelt, and Hollyleaf on the other side of the clearing. "Yellowfang? Cinderpelt? Hollyleaf? What happened to me?! Please, help me!", She called painfully.

But instead of answering, They just turned their heads. Leafpool felt her paws shaking. "What's wrong?", She asked, suddenly worried, "Am I not welcome here? What have I done?!"

There was no response. The three cats kept their heads turned as they began to walk away. "Please!", Leafpool yowled in distress, "Don't leave me! I don't understand!"

Hollyleaf turned her head back as they walked away. Suddenly, a message blared in Leafpool's mind as Hollyleaf gazed at her with sorrow. _You are out of our paws now, mother._

Quickly, Cinderpelt brushed her tail around Hollyleaf and began pushing her forward. Hollyleaf made an outward breath and turned away. Little crystal dots flew through the air.

"Wait!", Leafpool yowled, "I don't understand!" But as she tried to move, Leafpool's legs seemed to be tied to the ground. She gave an agonized yowl of stress as she did everything she could to race away frost the boundery.

Little crystal tears formed at the edge of her eyeline as she drew her extended front paw back to the ground. The three cats were nothing but starry silouhettes on the endless crystal horizon. Leafpools teary star-specks splattered upon the ground as she closed her eyes and shuddered, trying to sob as silently as she could.

Chapter One

Leafpool opened her dull amber eyes. Her usually crystal clear vision blurred at the edges. She sluggishly attempted to open her eyes, but she was very tired for some odd reason.

Leafpool closed her eyes again, to tired to keep them opened. She drifted continuously in and out of consciousness until finally she completely opened her eyes.

Leafpool looked around, confused. Where was she? She blinked rapidly, shaking the sleep from her eyes. She tried to stand up, but as soon as she tried, her legs gave way. White, shimmering powder drifted around the room as she fell down.

Suddenly, her mind was clear. _The star power!,_ She realized. She shook her head and stood up. She allowed her shaky legs to rest as she sat down on her bottem. It was not comfortable, but she was weak. It was better than standing, that was for sure!

Leafpool shook her pelt. The white dust flew off her pelt and out of the rims of… What was that?

Leafpool drew her head back in horror as she realized that she was in a cage. A large cage, but a cage nonetheless. But that wasn't even the worst part! The cage was moving! She shook her head, trying to clear her vision, but she wasn't bleary-eyed.

She drew back in shock onto her weak hind legs, causing them to collapse. She fell down onto the hard floor of the moving cage. "REOW!", She yowled in furious pain. She clambered up and shook her pelt. Yellow flower dust flew off her pelt as she sneezed.

Leafpool looked ahead. There, dragging the moving cage, was, was, a… A monster! Her eyes widened in terror. She was caught in a rotten monster! She was caught in it's open-furred belly! She raced over to the edge, hardly noticing that her legs had gotten more powerful. She pressed her front paws against the ribcages of the monster. Small watery tears filled her terrified eyes.

Suddenly, the monster swerved to the right. The cage began to tip, and Leafpool flew to the other side of the cage, hitting the edge. She heard a crack as she hit the edge, and pain blurred her vision.

 _No!,_ She thought as her vision grew darker, _I can't keep passing out!_ She forced her eyes open, and tried to stand up. But as she tried, she realized her back could not support her. In terror, she bit her legs. "Mrrrf- EOW!", She yowled, mouth full of fur. _Well at least now I know that my spine isn't broken,_ She thought. _Probably just sprained something…_

The monster bumped up and down on an old gravelly thunderpath. Leafpool's sad amber eyes looked dully out the ribcages of the monster. Just as she began to believe that they would never stop, the monster slowed to a steady halt in a gravel-dirt clearing.

Chapter Two

Squirrelflight anxious green eyes strayed towards the camp entrance. As she heard someone enter behind her, she whipped her head around to see that Bramblestar was behind her. "Have you seen Leafpool?", She asked anxiously.

"Couldn't tell ya'", Bramblestar answered, carefree. "I've been to busy organizing and joining patrols."

"Look, Bramblestar, i'm sorry! I'm just worried about her… She usually lets somebody know before going out to look for herbs… She's never gone this long… She's been gone since sunrise!" Squirrelflight turned her head back to the camp entrance.

"You could try asking Jayfeather", Bramblestar suggested. Squirrelflight turned back to him. "That's actually not a bad idea!", She teased him as she licked him on the shoulder and lept from the highrock.

Squirrelflight bounded into the medicine den cautiously. "Jayfeather?!", She asked loudly, "You in here?!"

"Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I'm deaf!", Jayfeather's voice called out from the end of the den. He padded out with holly leaves in his mouth. He placed them on the ground and wrapped them up in his fluffy gray tail. There were dark circles of weariness under his blind blue eyes. "What is it?", He asked Squirrelflight.

"I was just wondering if you'd seen Leafpool", Squirrelflight told him.

"Actually, no, I havn't. She left camp early before dawn. I just told her to be careful and went back to sleep. I haven't really been paying attention, but she hasn't come back since then."

"Thanks anyways", Squirrelflight meowed glumly, a solemn look on her face.

"Wait", Jayfeather meowed, "Could you put these under the stick of the fallen for me?" He unwound his tail and exposed the holly leaves.

"No problem", Squirrelflight replied, turning around for a moment and gently clutching the holly leaves in her mouth. She turned back around and wound her way around the empty nests and scattered herbs of the medicine den.

Squirrelflight padded underneath the stick of the fallen, Sitting down by it. There, underneath it, lay a small pool. Squirrelflight respectfully put the holly leaves down and dipped her nose into the pool. She then picked the holly leaves back up and did as Jayfeather had instructed. She gently placed the leaves into the pool, causing tiny ripples. She looked up at the stick and dipped her head in respect; for she feared that there would soon be a new scratch; one for Leafpool.

Chapter Three

Leafpool braced herself as the monster stopped. She heard something slam and saw a twoleg emerging from the belly of the monster. She glared at him nervously, for he had a metal cage with him.

The twoleg came closer and pulled out a shining metal object from a strange hole in his removable fur. As another twoleg began padding out from his twoleg home on two furless paws, The first twoleg placed the metal object into a hole on the backend of the rotting monster. Suddenly, the back of the monster swung open.

As the backend of the monster made a crash, Leafpool jumped back. She cried out in pain, for she was still injured. The twoleg began making odd squishing noises with his mouth, but he held out something… food!

Leafpool suddenly felt starving. She remembered that she hadn't eaten since the day before. Leafpool padded over to the twoleg feebly. She took the food out of his hairless paw and gulped it up quickly. The odd-smelling fish tasted delicious on Leafpools starved belly. She closed her eyes for a moment to enjoy the flavor.

Suddenly, the twoleg snatched her up in his arms. Leafpool tried to squirm away, but suddenly felt sleepy again. She let herself rest in his arms, but she absolutely hated it. He carried her up to another twoleg. They spoke angry gibberish to one another, and then the first twoleg handed her over to the second twoleg. Twoleg #2 looked angrily and twoleg #1.

Twoleg #1 hoped back into the monster and the monster began to growl. The monster sputtered, and then raced away. Twoleg number two carelessly stepped away on his back paws, holding Leafpool lightly in his grubby front paws. He slung open the door to his twoleg den, and threw Leafpool inside. She yowled in pain.

Leafpool pulled her front paws up and dragged herself along. Her body pulsed with pain. She gasped for air as she moved.

After crawling a while, she reached as soft mat on the floor. She dragged herself on top of it. Seconds later, her paws gave way. She shut her eyes and breathed rapidly…

Leafpool opened her eyes again, and looked around. There wasn't any food scents anywhere around. She got up, and immediately fell down. Her leg had stiffened as she slept.

She got up and jerked her shoulder back in place and forced herself to walk. She shook her pelt and padded around. Her leg had begun to feel better.

Leafpool desperately looked around for an exit. She only wanted to back with her family. With Jayfeather and Squirrelflight. Leafpool sighed. Hadn't she been punished enough?

Leafpool glumly drooped her tail across the floor as she slid her paws against the floor. Suddenly, she felt something sharp in her paw. She gave a quick yowl of pain, then stopped to lick at the wound. But when she looked closer, she saw the shard in her paw was what the floor was made out of!

She bit down on her paw, and she jerked the sharp wooden thorn from her paw. She quickly threw it to the side and saw it land on top of a pile of shards just like it. As she looked closer, there were lots of spikes just like it sticking up from the floor. She drew back in surprise and leaped over the little nest of towels in one jump. She curled up and lie down, scared. She closed her eyes in sadness, and let herself fall asleep…

Leafpool quickly opened her eyes, looking around. She saw her sister and smiled. Squirrelflight padded around towards the entrance of the camp, and she glared away into the distance.

Squirrelflight's eyes stared off blankly into the distance, depressed. She sat down and sighed. Then, she looked strait towards Leafpool. "I'm right here!",Leafpool tried to yowl, but no sound came out. Suddenly, everything felt strange, and her vision blurred around him. Her eyes spun with tears as she began to herself spin out of existence…

Chapter Four

Squirrelflight looked blankly towards the dens. She then got up in sadness. She wanted Leafpool to come home! It had been at least a day since she had seen Leafpool. Suddenly, Squirrelflight saw Lionblaze padding up

"What is it, Lionblaze?", She asked him.

"Nothing much", He told her. "We scented a twoleg scent near the Windclan border, and when we walked closer, we saw that there was a monster sunken into the soil! We went back to check it out this morning, but it was gone!"

"Good for you?"

"Well, the reason I wanted to tell you was because there was a tuft of Leafpool's fur where the monster was sitting. I thought you should know."

"Great Starclan! Are you sure it's Leafpool?"

"It smelled like Leafpool, and it looked like her fur…"

"You need to investigate that more! She might have been stolen!"

"Maybe…"

"I say you have to look into this! Gather a patrol NOW!"

"Ok… Don't you think we should talk to Bramblestar about this?"

"I am the deputy here! I order you to look into this! You MUST look for Leafpool! You have to!"

"Alright, Squirrelflight. Whatever you say… You're the deputy, after all…"

Lionblaze pattered off towards the warriors den. Quickly, his tail disappeared into the den and Squirrelflight padded away from the scene. She walked over to Bramblestar's den.

"Hello, Bramblestar."

"Hello, Squirrelflight."

"What is it?"

"Lionblaze told me that he found a tuft of Leafpool's hair where the monster was."

"What? How come he never told me?!"

"I guess he came strait to me…"

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him to gather a patrol to closely investigating the scene where the fur was found. I hope that's okay?"

"It might be too early for an investigation, but you are the deputy. You organize most of the patrols, and I accept that."

"Thank you Bramblestar."

Bramblestar looked at Squirrelflight and took a few steps close to her. His hot breath rumbled in her ears.

"How are Sparkpaw and Alderpaw?", He asked her.

"Their mentors haven't told me yet", She purred, "But I'm sure their doing great. With both fire and tiger, they can do anything."

"Well that's nice", Bramblestar purred.

"You know?", He continued.

"What?", Squirrelflight whispered questioningly.

"I will always love you", He whispered even quieter, "And I will always be there for you."

"And me for you", Squirrelflight purred.

They sat together and nuzzled each other for a moment when Squirrelflight pulled away.

"What's wrong?", Bramblestar asked, a bit louder that time.

"I… I'm worried about Leafpool. I'm sorry…"

"Come on… There's nothing to worry about! Lionblaze and the cats he pick are going to find her…"

Suddenly, there was a clawing at the stone outside the den entrance. "Come on in", Bramblestar told the unknown clawer.

Lionblaze padded in with a few other warriors. "Hello Bramblestar", Lionblaze meowed. Bramblestar nodded back at him. "Squirrelflight." She nodded towards Lionblaze as well.

"These are the cats I am choosing to help me."

"Help him with what?", Bramblestar asked.

"Haven't you told him?", Lionblaze asked.

"Told me what?", Bramblestar asked.

"About the tuft of fur! Surely you haven't already forgotten!", Squirrelflight questioned.

"Ah yes. So the cats you are taking are…"

"Ivypool, Icecloud, Blossemfall, Bumblestripe, Molewhisker, and myself", Lionblaze told him.

"Sounds like a pretty talented crew", Bramblestar complimented.

"It's okay with you, right? It might take a little extra time off warrior duties."

"I don't mind, but we need to make sure that another warrior will help Molewhisker with the training of Alderpaw."

"I can do that"

"Thank you, Lionblaze. I wish you all good luck in finding Leafpool." He nodded at Squirrelflight. "I wish you good luck as well", She purred sweetly. "Now; Go find my sister!"

Lionblaze nodded at them and padded out of the den, the search patrol following him. Ivypool quickly turned around and nodded at Squirrelflight. Her eyes gleamed worriedly.

"Well at least that's taken care of", Bramblestar meowed.

"Look, I got to go… I think I need to talk with another cat about… About Alderpaw's training!"

"Alright… I'll see you later, Squirrelflight."

"Okay!"

Squirrelflight padded over towards the trees at the exit of the camp where Ivypool sat.

"What is it, Ivypool?", She asked.

"I… I have a secret to tell you…", Ivypool meowed quietly, "But I feel like we should go to a more private place."

"Okay…"

Squirrelflight padded into the forest with Ivypool by her side, worried looks across their faces. They began to stop when they reached a small pool by the Riverclan border.

"Okay, now what is it you need to tell me?", Squirrelflight asked.

"I… I have to tell you something… It's very important… You have to promise not to tell…", Ivypool meowed nervously.

"I can't promise anything, but I will do my best…"

"Ok, so, a little while ago, I met this tom…"

"A clanborn tom? A rouge tom? I need more specifics!"

"A… A rouge tom. He had no name, but he was very sweet. I called him "Hawk."

"Hawk?"

"Yes. Hawk. He was a very kind and sweet, and he wasn't to bad at being handsome either. I met him in secret for a little while, but then I realized that what I was doing was wrong."

"Thank you for coming clean to me. This wasn't such a big deal…"

"I'm not done yet. I, I… Well, he accepted that I was a part of the clans, and that I had to stop seeing him, just as I accepted that he could no longer see me, and that he could not join the clans. But… But I think that something is wrong… Squirrelflight… I'm pregnant!"

Chapter 5

Leafpool opened her eyes and shook her head to clear her mind. She took a deep breath and looked around.

Leafpool stood up and stretched. She gave a deep yawn and padded away. She was extremely careful not to step on the sharp wooden thorns in the floor.

It had been a few days since she had bothered to get up. She was _starving._ She hadn't eaten in those days. She would have even settled for hard rotting fish at that moment.

As the hunger gnawed at her belly, she paced to and fro about the little cabin. She smelled something funny from the outside. She just wished she could get out there. She sensed, however, that the mean man would be coming home soon.

Quickly, Leafpool looked around for a way out. And then… She saw an opening in the windowsill!

She raced towards the windowsill and leaped out of the open slice of glass. The scrapings cut her thin ragged pelt as she found a way to inch out of the thin, ragged opening. As she squeezed out, a small amount of blood dripped from her pelt. She landed on the ground with a soft, bloodspattered thud.

Leafpool got up and shook her pelt. There was at least a mile of forest around there!

Suddenly, she heard the ruff, rumbling purr of a large monster. The mean man was home! She quickly dashed off.

Leafpool padded onward into a holly bush. It was a bit prickly, but that was the safety of it. The prickles would keep most others away. But once you got in, the prickly holly would protect you, and the shelter within it would keep you warm for the cold leafbare nights.

After she squeezed in, she licked her paws and looked around. There were herbs in there!

She picked up the small amount of marigold from the inside of the den and chewed it into a pulp. She smacked her jaws and then spread the marigold onto her wounds. It stung a little bit, but she knew in the end it would feel better.

Then she grabbed some cobwebs and placed their sticky, wet surface on her matted, injured fur. She licked them down onto her wounds. She let a deep breath out and purred. Then, she noticed the traveling herbs in the corner.

She quickly chewed them up and swallowed them. They tasted bitter and wet on her rough, sandpaper tongue. She got up to look for some water. With all of these herbs, so fresh during leafbare, there had to be a lot of water around.

Leafpool scrunched out of the holly bush and padded around, sniffing the air. She could smell a bit of water in the distance, so she padded in that direction.

With the traveling herbs in her stomach, she felt much more full. It was much easier to travel about then. Withen moments, she had reached the pool of water.

The pool of water glistened with sunlight in a shadowy forest like the sunrise cutting through a stone cold night. Leafpool padded up to drink from it.

When Leafpool tasted the water, her taste buds exploded into a rich array of purity. The beautiful glimmering crystal water shimmered on her sandy pink tounge. The wet beautiful water slid down her throat easily and sweetly.

As she drew her head up, little flecks of water pattered onto the ground. She shook her wet muzzle around and turned around. She purred and shook her muzzle again. She stalked away sleepily towards the holly bush.

When she reached the holly bush, she wiggled in and softly curled up. She blinked slowly a few times, and then closed her eyes. She was tired!

She thought for a moment about just staying there in the holly bush. It would be nice… She would be happy there… if only she had known about this place many moons ago… She let herself drift off into a calm, sweet sleep…

"Hello, Leafpool!", purred Crowfeather, "I caught us a squirrel!"

"Good job!", Leafpool cooed, "Tomorrow, I guess I'll have to try and catch a rabbit!"

"And I'll take care of the kits!", Crowfeather purred happily.

"That looks delicious!", Lion mewed lightly.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, but your not old enough for fresh kill yet", Leafpool meowed sweetly to him.

"Honestly, I don't think that it would be that good", Jay meowed with a complaining voice.

"Huh? Whut?", A kind little voice mewed to Leafpool, "What's goin' on?"

"Nothing, Holly", Leafpool meowed to her, "Jay and Lion were fighting over whether prey would taste good or not."

"Prey is actually pretty good!", Holly mewed excitedly, "Daddy let me have a little bit once!"

"Crowfeather!", Leafpool snapped.

"Sorry, darling, but she insisted on me letting her have some of my mouse. I thought it might be good to let her try it…"

"I want some prey!", Lion roared with kittish fury.

"No!", Leafpool told him sternly, "No prey for you! Your not old enough! You could choke!"

"I will not be beaten by a girl!", Lion growled with fury.

"You can have prey in another moon, honey…"

"HEY!"

Leafpool's eyes shot open and she jolted herself upward.

"What are you doing in my den?!"

Chapter 6

"What?! But.. But…"

"Look, Squirrelflight, I'm sorry! I didn't mean for this to happen…"

"Look… I can't keep this as a secret, Ivypool. I am sorry, but I can never keep secrets from my leader."

"But, but Squirrelflight! I'm scared! What will Bramblestar say…"

Ivypool whipped her tail back and forth with stress, and whipped her head to the side away from Squirrelflight.

"Look, I'm sure Bramblestar will forgive you. You tried to end it, but it was already to late. There is nothing to worry about."

"Okay…"

Squirrelflight wrapped her tail around Ivypool and began padding away. She reluctantly followed and was partially dragged along beside her.

When they reached the camp, Ivypool shuddered. "Do I really have to do this?", She asked.

"Yes. You have to do this…"

"Oh, okay…"

Squirrelflight and Ivypool padded over to Bramblestar, who was sitting in the clearing. Ivypool tried to duck away with fear, but Squirrelflight held her back.

"Bramblestar", Squirrelflight meowed nervously, "There is something that Ivypool wants, well, more like needs, to tell you."

"What is it, Ivypool?", Bramblestar asked curiously.

"Bramblestar… I… I am pregnant", Ivypool admitted shyly. Her eyes gleamed with shame.

"Well that's wonderful news!", Bramblestar purred, "It's always good to have more kits!"

"That's not what I mean…", Ivypool meowed. She began to shudder and Squirrelflight thought she could hear the tears splooshing softly onto the ground.

"What's wrong?", Bramblestar puzzeled.

"They are not clanborn kits. They are the kits of a rouge."

"Which rouge?"

"He had no name, but I called him "Hawk". He was very kind, but I did not want to join him as a rouge, and he did not want to join me as a clan cat. We both accepted our differences and decided that we would have love from far away. But by then, it was already to late. I am sorry…"

"Don't worry, Ivypool", Bramblestar purred softly, "you did your best to try and separate. Don't worry, though; I won't mind it. I'm not angry."

"Your not?"

"Of course not. It's gonna be okay, Ivypool, though I would suggest that you need to move over to the nursery."

"Alright, Bramblestar… I don't mind…"

"Okay. I'm sure that the other nursery queens will welcome you."

"Thank you, Bramblestar."

Squirrelflight and Ivypool padded away. "See? It's okay, isn't it? I told you that he would be okay with this. Don't worry so much, Ivypool."

As the two padded into the nursery, Hollytuft looked up from her soft, fluffy paws and gazed warmly at the newcomers to the den.

"Hello", She purred, "What are you two doing here?"

"Ivypool has news…", Squirrelflight purred with suspicious excitement.

"Well, Ivypool?", Hollytuft questioned.

"I am going to be having kits!", Ivypool purred. She slid over to Hollytuft and nuzzled her flank.

"That's wonderful news!", Hollytuft exclaimed. "Who's the father?"

Suddenly, Ivypool's expression darkened. "What's wrong?", Hollytuft asked.

"Their father is a rouge", Ivypool mewed quietly.

"I'm sorry…", Hollytuft mewed with sorrow, "But that doesn't matter! There are still going to be new kits in the clan! Plus, my little ones will have someone to play with besides their siblings."

"I guess so!", Ivypool purred happily.

"Wait… Ivypool? Aren't you on Leafpool's search patrol?"

"Oh no!", Ivypool mewed with fear. "What are we going to tell Lionblaze?"

"We will explain to him the truth. Eventually, it will be common knowledge", Squirrelflight meowed.

"Oh…. Why, Hawk, why?", Ivypool muttered.

"Don't worry, Ivypool", Hollytuft purred, "Lionblaze will be just fine with it. Everybody will. They all accepted Leafpool!"

"After many moons!", Ivypool stressed. She began to pant heavily with stress.

"Do you thing we should get Jayfeather?", Squirrelflight asked, but the question was soon answered for her. Ivypool harked up hair, blood, and mushed kill. She continued to pant heavily, and began gagging again.

Squirrelstar burst from the den as fast as she could, and over to Jayfeather. She screeched on the ground near the den, and rolled over, claws fighting against the ground.

"Jayfeather! Jayfeather!", Squirrelflight yowled with terror, "Ivypool's in trouble!"

"What's going on this time?", Jayfeather meowed sarcasticly, "A thorn in her paw?"

"She's spitting up blood!", Squirrelflight screeched with terror.

"Alright, I'll come", Jayfeather complained. They raced back to the nursery.

"Why is Ivypool in the nursery?", He questioned.

"I'll explain later!", Squirrelflight yowled. "Now help her!"

Jayfeather padded up to the convulsing body of Ivypool and studied it for a moment. He then looked towards Squirrelflight as Ivypool hacked up more blood. "I'm sorry, Squirrelflight", he told her, "but I can't help Ivypool. She's just going to have to wait for this to pass."

"Isn't there anything you can do?", Squirrelflight stressed.

"When the vomiting has slowed down, I will give her some Thyme. It will calm her. Now, can you explain to me what's going on?"

Squirrelflight explained about the Hawk and the kits as Jayfeather intently listened. Afterwards, she turned over to them. "Can you do anything to help her?", She asked.

"As long as she stays in the nursery, gets some exercise, and eats a healthy diet, she will be okay", Jayfeather meowed.

Ivypool lie there, body still convulsing. Her breathing began to slow.

Suddenly, Dovewing burst in. "What has happened to my sister?!", She yowled with terror.

"She got a bit sick", Jayfeather meowed. "She's going to be okay."

"What did this to her?", Dovewing screeched.

"She got very nervous."

"Why? What did you say to her?", Dovewing snapped at Squirrelflight and Jayfeather. "What did you do?!"

Jayfeather and Squirrelflight quickly explained about the kits once more.

"Poor Ivypool", Dovewing mewed sadly, "She just isn't sure how to handle this…"

"I'm sure she'll be fine", Squirrelflight meowed.

Suddenly, Jayfeather wasn't there anymore. He quickly padded up and slid back into the den with Thyme in his mouth. He silently crushed it up in his jaws and fed it to Ivypool. She gulped it down and coughed a bit. Then, she closed her eyes with weariness.

"Sparkpaw! Cherryfall!", Squirrelflight yowled, "Get in here!"

"When the two emerged into the nursery, they reeled back in shock and wrinkled their noses in disgust. "What happened here?!", Sparkpaw yowled.

"Ivypool got a bit sick", Jayfeather meowed. "Squirrelflight called you in here to clean it up."

"Ew!", Sparkpaw yowled, disgusted. "Now now, Sparkpaw", Cherryfall meowed softly, "Helping out in the clan is part of a warrior's duty."

"Okay…", Sparkpaw meowed sadly. As Sparkpaw and Cherryfall began cleaning up the mess, Squirrelflight, Hollytuft, Dovewing, and Jayfeather exited the den.

Suddenly, Lionblaze rushed over. "Is something going on with Hollytuft?", He meowed anxiously.

"Ivypool had an accident in the nursery", Hollytuft explained. "It doesn't smell two good in there, so I decided I would get out and go for a walk." She shook her pelt and padded away.

Lionblaze turned to Dovewing, a puzzeled glint in his eyes. "What's wrong with Ivypool?", He asked.

Once again, they explained about the kits. "So Ivypool won't be able to join the search patrol?", He meowed anxiously.

"No she will not!", Dovewing snapped with sudden fury. "Sorry", She meowed a few moments later, "I just got a little bit… Overprotective."

"Who do you think could take her place on the search patrol?", Lionblaze asked worriedly.

"Why don't you put Alderpaw on the patrol?", Squirrelflight asked. "That way, his mentor will get to keep training him while on the search patrol!"

"Are you sure you want to put such a young apprentice on the search patrol?", Lionblaze asked.

"I think that the experience would be good for him", Squirrelflight mewed. "Besides, it's always good to have an extra skill, and Alderpaw is a very talented young cat."

"Maybe your right", Lionblaze meowed, "An apprentice does need to experience things to truly understand them. Thanks!"

Chapter 7

"I said, What are you doing in my den?!"

"Who are you?", Leafpool asked with terrorized fear.

"Who are _you?_ ", The cat asked suspiciously. "Why are you in my den?" Suddenly, the strange cat's eyes grew wide in shock. "My herbs! My prey! You have wrecked my den!", She yowled with fury.

"Look, I didn't know this was your den…", Leafpool mewed, trying to resolve the issue without fighting.

"Yeah, right. There are just useful herbs and pieces of prey lying about under a safe holly bush FOR NO REASON!", The she-cat snapped.

"I'm sorry…"

"Get out of my den, or die!", The she-cat yowled with fury. Leafpool quivered with terror. "Well?"

Leafpool stood there, frozen in shock. _Move!,_ She thought furiously, _Move!_ But she just couldn't. She tried to drag her paws up, but they were stuck to the warm ground.

Without speaking, the she-cat unsheathed her claws and raised them above Leafpool's head. Leafpool squeezed her eyes shut.

Suddenly, there was a screeching noise outside. Leafpool opened her eyes. There was a quick rustling of leaves and the She-cat had dissapered.

Leafpool got up and shook her pelt off. She looked around where some leaves were lying astray, and brushed them to the side. There, underneath the leaves, there was… a small rabbit tunnel with paw-prints leading down!

Leafpool normally wouldn't have been able to fit into the tunnel, but she was so thin, she slid into the den without a second thought.

Leafpool carefully stalked down the den, careful not to brush dirt to much to the side, or to startle the she-cat. The farther she stalked into the tunnel, the more cat scents mingled with one another. Suddenly, a strong scent bursted through the others. Was that… _Breezepelt?_

Suddenly, eyes poked out through the darkness and surrounded Leafpool. A sleek black tom with amber eyes slid out from the darkness.

"Well well well", The tom meowed, "It looks like we have tresspassers in breezeclan territory."

"Breezeclan?", Leafpool asked. "Breezepelt? Is that you?"

"Who are you?", The tom asked, "How do you know my former name?" Suddenly, Breezepelt realized. "Leafpool?"

"Breezepelt, what are you doing here?"

"My name is not Breezepelt. I am Breeze _star._ "

"Who is this cat?", The she-cat meowed. "Just a figure from my past."

"Everybody…", Breezestar mewed, "Meet Leafpool, the she that ruined my life, and stole my father away from Nightcloud." He thrashed his tail. "Lock her up!"

Quickly, a few small, lithe cats sprinted at Leafpool and dragged her off into another tunnel. "Wait", Breezestar meowed, "Bring her back."

Without question, the few cats quickly rushed Leafpool quickly over to Breezestar. Suddenly, a light shone down upon Breezestar's back, making him all the more intimidating.

"Why are you here?", Breezestar asked her.

"What do you mean?", Leafpool meowed.

"Why are you in Breezeclan territory?"

"That twoleg, Breezepelt, that mean twoleg! They took me from Thunderclan and brought me here!"

"Ahhh", Breezestar meowed. "That same excuse that every trespasser gives me. "The mean twoleg got me! A lot of times it is just a lie, though I believe that you wouldn't leave Thunderclan. After all, you were to scared to leave with Crowfeather!" The cats behind him snickered with mean laughter.

"Look, Just let me go!", Leafpool yowled.

"I would", Breezepelt meowed calmly, "But you've seen the inside of our camp. Either join us, or die, and I'm not to keen on letting a traitor into my clan. So I guess there is only one option left" Breezestar unsheathed his claws.

"Goodbye, Leafpool!"

Chapter 8

Squirrelflight padded over to Ivypool in the medicine den.

"How ya' doin?", Squirrelflight mewed quietly.

Ivypool cracked open her eyes. "I'm feeling a lot better", She purred quietly.

"You think your gonna' be okay?"

"Don't worry about me. I'm gonna be okay… Just work on your deputy stuff. I'll be back in the nursery by tomorrow."

"Well that's good news", Squirrelflight mewed. "I'll see you later."

"Alright", Ivypool purred.

Squirrelflight smiled, dipped her head at Ivpool, and padded away.

Bramblestar padded up to Squirrelflight. "How is she?", Bramblestar mewed horesly.

"She's doing a lot better", Squirrelflight meowed in return, "But she's still weak."

"It's normal to be weak before kitting, right?", Bramblestar asked after a few coughs.

"I guess", Squirrelflight meowed, "I know I was!"

Bramblestar purred a hoarse purr of laughter before coughing again.

"Honey, I think you oughta' see Jayfeather", Squirrelfight meowed. "That cough sounds a bit rough, and we can't risk losing our leader."

"It's gonna be okay", Bramblestar coughed, "It's just a little cold. Every cat gets one towards the beginning of Leafbare. It's nothing to worry about." He did his best to talk steadily without coughing, but could not hold it in. He hacked for a few moments before pulling his head up from his chest.

"Look, this could be very serious!", Squirrelflight meowed worriedly. "I still say you should get Jayfeather to check this out."

"And if it gets worse, I will", Bramblestar meowed. He padded away, coughing, back to his den. He turned for a moment. "Goodbye, Squirrelflight", He mewed angrily. He continued stalking away.

 _I can't be concerned?,_ Squirrelflight wondered. She padded away towards Alderpaw.

"Hey, sweetheart!", She purred, hiding away her concern, "What's up?"

"Shhh!", Alderpaw whispered, "Lionblaze is teaching us how to pick up a scent."

Squirrelflight turned her attention to the walls of the camp, where Lionblaze was standing.

"Alright", He meowed. "The first thing you do to pick up a scent is to find something with their scent on it. Squirrelflight, do you think you could come over here?"

"Why sure!", Squirrelflight exclaimed, surprised. "Now, what do you need me to do?"

"Alright, Squirrelflight. Could you role on this patch of ground, please?", Lionblaze meowed, pointing to the rough patch of earth on the ground with his tail.

"Alright", Squirrelflight meowed, puzzeled. Why did she need to role on the ground to help track a scent?

Squirrelflight rolled on the ground for a moment before picking herself up. "What next?", She meowed, intent on learning what to do.

"Now, Squirrelflight, go hide. Alderpaw, you should know her scent pretty well. Now, you close your eyes while she runs and hides."

Squirrelflight raced behind the warriors den quickly, waiting for something to happen. She unevidently poke her muzzle out a bit to see what was going on. She then adjusted herself to where she could see the camp entrance without them seeing her.

"Alright, Alderpaw", Lionblaze meowed, "You have the scent?"

"Yes sir", He meowed obediently.

"Alright then, Lionblaze meowed in return. "Remember that scent, and follow it. When every cat moves, they leave a scent trail. Thankfully, the wind was blowing the right way when Squirrelflight raced off, so it shouldn't be too hard."

Alderpaw sniffed the ground where Squirrelflight had been rolling once more, and then stepped to the left. "She went this way!", He exclaimed proudly.

Alderpaw kept advancing forward, nose to the ground like a dog. He stalked and stalked until he made it to the warriors den. "I don't understand!", He meowed, stressed, shaking his head.

"Well, sniff around again. I'm sure you'll pick up the scent", Lionblaze meowed confidently.

"Wait… Here it is!", Alderpaw exclaimed. He followed the scent around the back of the warriors den and pounced on Squirrelflight. "Gotcha!", He yowled.

"Very good, Alderpaw!", Squirrelflight meowed proudly, mouth full of sand.

"You can let her go now", Lionblaze mewed. "You did a very good job right there. If you want, you can go get a small piece of fresh kill from the fresh kill pile while I help teach the others."

"No thanks", Alderpaw meowed responsibly, "I think I'll stick around."

"Well in that case, you go and hide", Lionblaze meowed.

"Ok!", Alderpaw meowed excitedly. He rolled around for a moment and dashed off while Mousewhisker closed his eyes. "Look out for Mousewhisker!", Lionblaze yowled after him.

Squirrelflight got up and shook the sand from her pelt and spit it from her mouth. She padded off, noticing that the sun was setting. She closed her eyes for a moment, still padding forward.

"Thump!"

Suddenly, Squirrelflight fell to the ground, feeling something warm underneath her. She stood up and stepped back, discovering that she had tripped over Briarlight, who was doing her nighttime exercises.

"Oh!", Squirrelflight exclaimed, apologetic, "I am so sorry!"

"It's okay", Briarlight mewed through clenched teeth. She stood up as strait as she could. "I'm okay. You only fell on the part that was already crushed." She gave a _Mrrroww_ of laughter.

Squirrelflight let out a small purr and licked Briarlight's shoulder. "How ya' doin'?", Squirrelflight asked curiously.

"Pretty good for a cat with crushed legs", She joked. "Actually, I've been doing pretty good, helping Jayfeather out with the medicine and stuff. He let me crush up the thyme for Ivypool, so she could calm down."

"Well, it sounds like your learning a lot!"

"I guess I am. I learn more about healing herbs every day, and how to apply them, and their uses. I never realized it before, but I guess the life of a medicine cat is pretty interesting!", Briarlight purred.

"It seems like you're his apprentice or something!", Squirrelflight exclaimed happily.

"Maybe I am", She mewed with a glint in her eyes. She dragged herself off towards Bramblestar's den.

 _She seems to be doing well,_ Squirrelflight thought. She padded forward into the deputy's den, alone.

As she lie there in the darkness for a moment, she thought about how much pride she had in her two kits, Sparkpaw and Alderpaw, who were already doing so well. Alderpaw, on a search patrol! She smiled.

As she swept her tail across the ground, however, her smile grew into a frown. She missed sleeping in the warm, safe nursery, with two kits suckling at her belly, having to help them reach her milk by nuzzling them. She smiled once more at the happy memories, but it couldn't last. Not with Leafpool gone.

Her worry grew, and fear spread throughout her belly. It pulsed with fear. What if Leafpool never came back? What if she was in danger, or even worse, hurt?!

She forced herself to relax. _Lionblaze is on it,_ She told herself with reassurance. _She'll be found. I just know she will!_ Squirrelflight curled her tail around herself and closed her eyes. Maybe she could get a good nights rest…

"Help!"

Squirrelfight reached out despreratly, but there was nothing she could to. She was frozen to the spot!

An evil cackle sounded above her. The figure seemed to grow larger, and a paw with very long, dirty claws glimmered in the sun speckled darkness. "Goodbye, Leafpool!", The voice shouted.

"Wait, no!", Squirrelflight yowled in terror. "Stop! This isn't moral!" But it was to late. The paw struck down, and…

Squirrelflight jerked her head up in terror, breathing rapidly. Leafpool was in danger! She only wished she could find her… Unless… She was already gone.

Squirrelflight sighed. She knew her sister would be just fine. She always found a way out of slippery situations, just like herself. Leafpool was a survivor, and with all of her medical knowledge, she would be fine…

But in those few moments of sleep, a little piece of Squirrelflight had died. It was her hope. Her hope of finding Leafpool. She sighed and curled her tail around herself once more, hoping to have a sound sleep.

Chapter 9

"Wait!", A voice yowled. "Stop, Breezestar! This is immoral!"

"Is that a challenge?, He meowed, thrusting his paw atop Leafpool and holding her down, claws unsheathed.

"Yes, I guess it is", The mystery she-cat yowled from the top of the sun-ridden tunnel, a silhouette against the light. "You need to stop this!"

Breezestar glared up at the silhouette. "Why should I?", He asked sarcasticly.

"Look, just, I'll take her", The cat mewed desperately. "Anything, to save her. This is not her destiny."

"Fine", Breezestar meowed angrily. "Take the dirty forest beast, you dirty, ungrateful rat! But one day, you will pay…"

"Thank you, Breezestar", She meowed respectfully, seemingly unaware that she had been called an ungrateful rat. "I will always see you as my leader." She dipped her head and raced down the tunnel.

The odd she-cat swept her tail around Leafpool and bounded up the tunnel furiously. They emerged from behind a short-ish tree who's leaves were spiked, and carried red berries. They were unknown to Leafpool.

"You ready to go?", She asked.

In the dappled sunlight under the cover of the trees, leafpool could see what the she-cat looked like. She had a thin, black pelt with white quivers up her tail, white spiked paws, and a four pronged star on her chest. Her eartips were also spiked white.

Around her neck, she bore a tight, black, spiked collar with no tag. She scratched her ear, and the collar barley made a jingle.

"What is it?!", The she-cat asked sarcastically. "What, are you, like, studying me?"

"What's up with that collar, if your part of a clan?", Leafpool asked curiously.

"Oh, I used to be a kittypet", She mewed casually. She scratched her ears again. "I ran away. Stupid twolegs thought I was a tom. Called me Dragon." She continued scratching her ear. "Twolegs are stupid. They put metal thorns on my collar. Idiots!"

"Yeah, twolegs aren't very smart", Leafpool meowed. "They can't even remember to feed us!"

"Ugh, if only! Mine were constantly feeding me. I didn't wanna' get fat, so I didn't really eat all of the junk they tried to give me. They took me to the cutter real often, but never got me cut." She shook her head. "Those fools."

"That's how I got here", Leafpool meowed. "A twoleg captured me from my home in a forest, far away from here, I'm guessing, and dragged me off here, to another twoleg, who never fed me, and had a floor full of thorns. I got out and tried to nest in a holly bush, but it was another cats nest. I followed her out of curiosity down into the tunnels, and, well, then, you saved me."

"Well, curiosity kills the cat, they say", The she cat joked. "My name's Dragonspike. Pleasure to escort you from Breezeclan territory, and no longer have a home afterward. A pleasure, really. Say, what's your name?"

"I… I'm Leafpool", Leafpool stuttered.

"The fabled Leafpool, eh'? I'm very surprised that he didn't just kill you anyways!", Dragonspike exclaimed. "You ready to go now?"

"Go where?", Leafpool questioned.

"Well we can't just stay here!", Dragonspike called, padding away. "And aren't you going somewhere anyways?"

"Yes, back to my home in Thunderclan", Leafpool purred. "I just hope everyone's okay…"

"Well, I'm a pretty fast traveler. You mind if I come with ya'?"

"Of course not!", Leafpool exclaimed. "I would never turn down a cat in need. Lets go!"

The two cats wound their way out of the trees, quickly. They opened back up to the forest, and Dragonspike was obviously used to the territory. She dashed across it very quickly, and it was extremely hard for Leafpool to keep up.

Dragonspike kept on running, paws pounding the forest floor and shaking the earth. Leafpool began to grow weary after just a bit of running, but Dragonspike never seemed to tire. They raced and raced on for miles until they reached the top of a relatively steep hill.

Leafpool reached the top shortly after Dragonspike, and gasped at the sight. It was lots and lots of moor, for miles and miles, not a pond or piece of prey in sight.

Instead of looking at the incredible sight before them, Dragonspike was peering into the forest, eyes dull with longing. "Goodbye, Breezeclan", She whispered, hoping Leafpool wouldn't hear, "I will miss you."

"That's been your home for a while, hasn't it?", Leafpool asked with wonder.

"Since I was adopted", She meowed. "I was born on the streets, taken by twolegs, but I didn't feel like I was where I belonged until… Until Breezeclan", She finished.

"I'm sure that you'll find somewhere else that you belong", Leafpool meowed. She turned back around, and gasped once more.

"What, what is it?", Dragonspike asked, turning with her.

"We're getting closer!", Leafpool exclaimed. "Those are the mountains, and underneath the mountains is our home!"

"Really? You live on the moor? You don't seem like the running type", Dragonspike meowed.

"No!", Leafpool exclaimed. "You can barely see the outline, but I live in a forest."

Dragonspike squinted. "I guess you can see a forest!", Dragonspike exclaimed. "Alright, lets head to it!"

Chapter 10

That morning, the dappled sunlight shone into the deputy's den. Squirrelflight blinked sleepily awake and shook her dark ginger head. She glanced outwards and saw Alderpaw hopping across the clearing. _That's odd,_ She thought. _Alderpaw was walking just fine yesterday when we trained._

Squirrelflight emerged from the den and shook her pelt. She dug her claws into the earth, and wake filled them. She gave a great big yawn and padded towards her son.

"What's wrong, Alderpaw?", Squirrelflight asked, concerned for her kit.

"Nothin', momma", He mewed. He stuck his paw on the ground and winced.

"Alderpaw!", She snapped with worried fury, "Tell me what's wrong!"

"I… I…" He turned his paw around, and underneath, he ripped something from it.

A bright, sunset orange flower drifted across the clearing, blood falling off of it. Underneath, Alderpaw's paw was dripping with scarlet. Pain flared across Alderpaw's face, and tears of shear pain began filling his eyes.

The paw was invisible beneath all of the blood, or so Squirrelflight thought. But as she looked closer, she saw that the edge of his leg was gnarled and rough, and there _was_ no paw!

"Alderpaw!", She yowled, and wrapped herself around him. He panted heavily and fell down, blood spilling across the clearing. Tears filled her eyes as she screamed.

"Jayfeather! Jayfeather! Get over here! Alderpaw is gonna die!"

Suddenly, Lionblaze, Molewhisker, Icecloud, Bumblestripe, and Blossemfall burst into camp. Molewhisker reeled back in shock. "Alderpaw!", He yowled, "No!"

At that moment, Jayfeather emerged from his den. Even his blind, blue eyes stared in shock at Alderpaw. "Great Starclan", He muttered in shock, "What do we have here.

He raced over and hoisted Alderpaw onto his back. He dashed back towards the medicine den, not even stopping to turn and nod. In seconds, he had dissapered into the dark, shadowed entrance to the medicine den.

"What happened to him?", Squirrelflight snapped furiously at Lionblaze. "What have you done to him! Why?! Why my baby?!"

Lionblaze reared back in surprise. "I… I don't know what did this to him.. I.. I.."

"You what?!", Squirrelflight snarled. "You killed my kit?! Yeah, you did, you foxhearted coward! You are nothing! Get out! Get out now, you peace of foxdung. NOW!"

"I didn't mean for this to happen, this isn't my fault!", Lionblaze protested, but Squirrelflight continued to growl furiously.

"You are nothing! You are worthless! Get out! I never want to see you again!"

"Wait!", Molewhisker shouted. "This isn't his fault."

She turned her head from Lionblaze and turned to Molewhisker.

"It's mine", He finished. He closed his eyes and braced himself for a terrible flow of words and insults.

But instead, Squirrelflight turned to Lionblaze, who cowered at her glance. "I do apologize", She meowed, "For all of those cruel words. But how would you feel if one of your kits had their leg gnarled off while in the paws of a close friend, or relative?"

"I understand", Lionblaze meowed. "Parents worry about their kits. I understand… I'm sorry that this happened…" Lionblaze looked strait at her, terror still flaring in his eyes. He dashed away into the forest.

"Molewhisker, what happened to him?", She asked, turning to Molewhisker.

"When we were searching, he, he just dissapered… We look for him for a little while, but I couldn't smell his scent and couldn't spot his dark ginger fur. I'm so sorry…"

"It's okay", She meowed softly, pain shimmering in her tear-filled eyes. "I just hope he makes it to see warriorhood."

Chapter 11

Leafpool bounded over the ridge, suddenly tireless. Her eyes gleamed with all the stars in the moonpool, and her white paws quivered with excitement.

"Wait up!", Dragonspike called with weariness, "I don't know this territory!"

"Neither do I!", Leafpool yowled back excitedly, not stopping to speak.

After a little while, night settled upon this hilly moor, and the two she-cats needed a place to stay. When they spotted an old badger set, they thought it might be a mirage, or something of the sort. But as they reached it, they discovered that it was real.

Dragonspike poked her head into the den, and sniffed for a moment. "I smell cat scent, but it's faint. It's been several days since any cat has been in here. I think it's safe to spend the night in; but only tonight", Dragonspike panted.

Leafpool cautiously padded into the den. She sniffed around, discovering that Dragonspike was right. The only scents in the den were old and stale. There was a nest, but it was frail and dry.

"You want this?", Dragonspike meowed, nodding at the nest.

"No thanks", Leafpool meowed, "I don't need it. I honestly think that the cold, hard earth would be more comfortable then that old brittle thing."

"Suit yourself", Dragonspike meowed. She dusted her pelt off and lie down in the nest, which just kicked up more dust. Leafpool did the same on the barren moor earth, which turned out to be soft, though still cold. She closed her eyes and hoped to get some good rest, but every time she closed her eyes, images of a dark ginger cat with a bleeding leg flew into her mind, along with screams of fury.

She shook her head to clear it. She lie herself back down and glanced at the earth, shutting her eyes.

"Alright, Pine, lets go."

"Sorry, I was just looking at that peculiar star…"

"You don't even know what peculiar means!"

"Yeah I do! It means weird!"

"Lets just go in. I… That's weird."

"What? Whats _peculiar?"_

"There's cat scent in our den!"

Leafpool's eyes flared open, and she saw two cats, one tom and one she cat, both with dark ginger-brown pelts, the tom oddly small, standing before her.

"These evil foxdungs are trying to steal our den!", The little, plainly young tom shouted.

Dragonspike's eyes flew open. She instantly leaped to her feet and puffed up her fur. She hissed loudly with fury.

Without question, the large she cat flared her fur up larger than Dragonspike's. Her teeth bared in a snarl, and her tail stuck strait up, brushing against the roof of the old den.

The two leaped at each other and locked into full on battle mode. There were snarls of fury everywhere, and Leafpool didn't know what to do. She just stared, glaring in shock, for she was petrified with terror.

"Hey, you!", The toms squeaky voice snarled. Leafpool turned towards him, and without warning, the little tom leaped onto Leafpool and began clawing at her belly.

Leafpool snarled in terror and feebly clawed at the little tom, who pressed on Leafpool harshly with his little paws to make up for his size.

Leafpool unsheathed her claws fully and swung them onto the tom's belly. He flew across the den and landed on the hard, solid ground near the entrance of the nest with a "thump."

Suddenly, the she-cat looked up from her harsh combat with Dragonspike. She raced over to the small tom's limp body. "Pine!", She wailed, "Pine, no!"

In those few moments, Leafpool rushed over to Dragonspike's side. Dragonspike was gushing blood from all parts of her body, and he paws flailed feebly at nothing.

Suddenly, Dragonspike's eyes fluttered open, and shot back down to but a squint. "It… It was a pleasure… It was a pleasure meeting you, Le… Leafpool…", Dragonspike mewed feebly, blood gushing from her throat.

Dragonspike gave a faint smile at Leafpool as her eyes clouded. Her face morphed into an emotionless, cold thing, with eyes lightly shut. Leafpool stood there in saddened, shocked, terror, pain for her lost friend flaring in her amber eyes.

"I.. I'm okay", The toms voice meowed weakly. He pulled himself up from the cold, hard earth and shook his dusty red-brown pelt. His lips bared in a snarl as he leaped over onto Leafpool and pinned her to the den wall. "She's gone", He snarled, terror and fury shining in his eyes. "Your next!"

As he raised a paw to strike Leafpool, she ducked out from underneath him and dashed out of the den. She hit the edge so hard that it began to shake.

Leafpool dashed towards the outward edge of the den, the tom hot on her tail. Conveniently, the large she-cat had to leap out of the way to hold the side of the old den up.

The tom dashed across the moor, but with his shorter legs, it was harder to keep up. But Leafpool knew that if she stopped running for just a moment, or even tripped, she would be trapped with nowhere to run, and would be with Dragonspike in starclan.

Suddenly, the tom stopped to pant. At that very moment, the she-cat burst from the den, and with her long legs, she caught up to Leafpool very quickly. Leafpool didn't stop running; not even when the she-cat had stopped chasing her; for she was to scared to look back.

Chapter 12

Leafpool dashed across the moor still as dawn fleeted across the sky. She blinked tears from her eyes, and stopped as she reached… Wait, was that… Windclan scent?

Leafpool stopped for a moment and looked around, realizing where she was. Running across the moor all night had really paid off, for she had made it home!

Leafpool stood there at the edge of Windclan territory, pelt flowing in the breeze. She gave a slight smile, and… Wait… That was… cat scent! Rouges, heading for Thunderclan!

Leafpool pulled her head back at the foul scent. Not even a den full of infection smelled that bad! She stared back at the moor, seeing a smear of trees far away from there, and pulled away. She dashed into the forest with fury.

Squirrelflight padded through Thunderclan camp, an odd scent filling the air. She sniffed at the air and made a puzzled face. She glanced off into the distance, beginning to get lost in thought, when she heard a rustling sound.

Squirrelflight poked her head up and pricked her ears. Other cats lie strewn around the camp, relaxing, talking, eating prey. They must not have noticed the odd scent, somehow.

"Whish!"

There was a faint rustle in the bushes, and Squirrelflight whipped her head around. "Who's there?", She asked with a stern, loud voice.

There was no warning. A flood of cats poured into the camp, their teeth bared in snarls. They leaped at whatever cat that they were nearest to in a sudden fury.

Leafpool dashed through the last of the moor, paws pounding into the forest. Blood scent flooded her tiny pink nostrils. _Am I to late?_ She wondered with terror as she raced faster and faster through the familiar territory of the Thunderclan forest.

Suddenly, battle swirled around Squirrelflight. Rage and fury swished by at every chance, and angry wails and snarls exploded through the camp.

Terror pulsed through Leafpool as she opened into the camp, watching fury and battle flood through the camp. Her eyes widened in shock, but it wasn't too late, was it?

Suddenly, a cat leaped onto Squirrelflight and rage shined in his gleaming, stone cold, yellow eyes. The scar over his nose shimmered in the sunlight, and his sliced, half-of-an-ear bled thoroughly, slowly spilling onto Squirrelflight's dark ginger pelt.

Leafpool's eyes darted around camp from the high ledge above it. She glanced around wildly, for again, she had no idea what to do. Suddenly, she spotted her sister, weak and helpless under the paws of a massive gray tom. Suddenly, she realized what she had to do.

Squirrelflight closed her eyes as the huge gray tom raised his extremely large paw above her, massive, glimmering, scarlet-and-white claws ready again to kill. His glimmering teeth, shining with scarlet, were bared in a furious smile.

Suddenly, the extreme weight lifted off Squirrelflight. She opened her eyes and blinked, surprised. In that moment, and earsplitting yowl of pain shot through the camp, and a deep growl from the gray rouge yowled, "Retreat! Rouges, retreat!"

The rouges bolted from the camp at their leaders command. Before turning away to leave with the others, The massive stone-gray tom glared a piercing stare directly into Squirrelflights blazing green eyes, and swiped a scarlet claw over his throat, as if to symbolize that he would be coming back, and that one day, Thunderclan _would_ die. He then turned and raced away, scarlet drops flying from his pelt.

Squirrelflight turned to look at the force the saved her. Her eyes widened in shocked surprise, and she bolted across the camp. Her own sister, Leafpool, lie there on the camp floor, eyes flickering with fading life.

"Leafpool!", Squirrelflight yowled with shocked terror. She raced over to Leafpool's side, which was bleeding from the neck to the tail, a massive claw mark forming a pool of blood beneath her.

"Leafpool…", Squirrelflight breathed with shock, "You… You saved me…"

Leafpool's eyes flickered up towards Squirrelflight.

"It was the least I could do…", Leafpool meowed weekly, "To repay you… For all that you've done for me…"

Leafpool feebly raised a paw and help Squirrelflight's cheek for a moment. Her eyes were clear for just a moment, and Leafpool meowed in that one, small, moment…

"I will always love you."

Leafpools head rested back upon the ground gently, and her soft, fluffy, scarlet-stained white paw draw back from Squirrelflight's thin, puffed out cheek.

"Goodbye, Squirrelflight", She meowed weakly, "Tell… Tell my kits… That I love them…"

She gave a faint smile, and closed her bleary, clouding eyes. Her chest heaved lightly just a few more times, and then, lightly stopped. Her limp body lie there for a few moments, pain rippling through the clan…

Leafpool opened her eyes wearily and shook her pelt. She looked down, only to see her own limp, shredded body lying there. She pattered down onto the ground and wrapped herself around Squirrelflight. "It's gonna be okay", She whispered in Squirrelflight's drooping ears. "I will always be with you."

Suddenly, there was a soft rustling behind her, and a glistening black she-cat with soft, glimmering green eyes emerged from the starry sky.

"Hollyleaf!", Leafpool mewed in shock.

"Come, mother", Hollyleaf mewed. "It's time to go."

Leafpool glanced sadly at her body, and the deeply saddened Squirrelflight. She turned back to Hollyleaf. "Alright", She meowed. "Lets go."

The two spiraled higher and higher into the sky, until finally, they reached the stars.

A place where Leafpool could finally be happy.

Epilogue

Squirrelflight shook her wet pelt as she slipped softly out of the wet, muddy camp. She padded softly through the moist, dense forest, careful to tread lightly. She couldn't have anyone knowing.

Squirrelflight's white paws grew tawny brown with spatters of mud as she trudged softly through the soft, muddy earth. She had almost reached it.

Squirrelflight got faster and faster as she raced through the woods furiously, and reached the spot; right under a tree, just next to the Windclan stream border.

She brushed the dark tawny leaves from the spot and sat there. It was where they had buried Leafpool, long over a moon ago.

The rest of the clan had gotten over Leafpool's death; but Squirrelflight would never be over it. She sighed and stared at the grave for a moment longer. Then, she suddenly cast her head up to the sky, and yowled a yowl of grief and pain that the forest would never forget.


End file.
